New 24 hour world record

Between 1915GMT on 12 June and the same time the next day, Tracy Edwards' maxi catamaran
Maiden II covered an incredible 697 miles, breaking the previous record belonging to Steve Fossett's PlayStation of 687.17 miles and is frustratingly short of the elusive 700 mile a day barrier.

Maiden II is currently being delivered back to the UK, but the team specifically set out to make an attempt on the 24 hour record in the process. Prior to them leaving Newport, Rhode Island,
Maiden II's Australian navigator Adrienne Cahalan had been monitoring a weather system that she hoped would provide suitable conditions - strong winds and flat - for a success record attempt and they did. At one point Cahalan reported that she saw 44 knots speed over the ground reading on the GPS.

"It's just very good timing," Tracy Edwards told
madfor
sailing this evening. Edwards is currently in the final throws of negotiating with some sponsors to enable her 110ft catamaran to continue its programme of record breaking that will include the team's attempt on the Jules Verne Trophy this winter. "I'm almost speechless," Edwards continued. "They're heading for home at a more sedate speed now. The first watch has gone to bed. None of them has slept for 36 hours. We're just bouncing off the walls."